Geneva, 30 July 2013 – The Europe-Third World Centre (CETIM) wishes to express its solidarity with the Bolivian people and with their President, Evo Morales, following his sequestration in Europe on 2 July 2013.
The presidential plane of the Pluri-national State of Bolivia was forbidden flight over French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese territories and was then detained at Vienna airport in Austria for fourteen hours. These western governments were, of course, following orders from Washington which suspected the presence in the plane of one of the most wanted men of the United States of America, Edward Snowden.
Evo Morales and his group were thus literally sequestered and subjected to blackmail unthinkable in the 21st century, given that Spanish Ambassador in Austria ordered an inspection of the presidential plane as a condition for its departure.
Since then, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris and Rome have apologised to La Paz but it is none the less of great concern that these actions violate international law, which, once more, is trampled underfoot by countries which claim to be democratic and sovereign. Let us remember that certain of these countries did not have the same reflex when clandestine planes of the CIA were transferring “suspects” towards “black spots” where they were tortured (17 European Union states according to the Open Society Justice initiative) not to mention, when transfers were made towards secret prisons in Europe.

CETIM is delighted, however, with the wave of solidarity expressed all over the world, as well as the solidarity shown by the ALBA countries (Bolivarian Alternative for the American peoples) and other Latin American countries, towards the Bolivian president in defense of his sovereignty and dignity. This solidarity raises hopes in the building of an alternative society.

CETIM wishes all success to the Anti-Imperialist Summit to be held in La Paz this weekend.